Once, while eating at a restaurant called "Clara's" in Lansing's old Pere Marquette Depot, I saw a photo taken at the Battle Creek Michigan Central station of what appeared to be a Dreyfuss-streamlined Hudson (ala the 1938 20th Century Ltd.) in Michigan Central markings. I am under the impression this might be the Detroit-Chicago "Wolverine" can anyone confirm or deny this? -Dave
More likely it was the "Mercury," where more than one Central streamlined Hudson was employed. J-1e 5344 in one of her many lives received the full Dreyfuss treatment and ran on the Michigan Central Mercury. Two Pacifics were also streamlined, but more in the line of the old "Commodore Vanderbilt," and they ran on legs of the Mercury. J-3 5426, one of the two streamlined for the Empire State Express, also found it's way to power the Mercury in the late 1940's. Can you recall the number of the locomotive you saw in the photo? Hope this helps. :tb-biggrin: And, welcome to Trainboard! I need more NY Central interest here.
Hi David, welcome to the Trainboard. As Jim said, nice to see interest in the Central. I found this website, http://www.toytrainrevue.com/mercury.htm, that discusses an O Scale model of the Mercury, and its history. Hopefully the model photos, if accurate, will let you compare what you saw to what the model maker believes is an accurate representation of the K-Class Pacific prototype. I'm more familiar with the Hudson and Harlem Divisions in eastern New York State, but enjoy photos and experiences from all around the Central's system. I even rode the Central between New York City and Chicago four times from 1945 to 1947. Unfortunately, I didn't own a camera. Cheers.
Thank you for the warm welcome, fellows. It's nice to be here and to be able to ask all the things I've always wondered about the great era of railroaidng that I'll never get to witness except in scale. You can blame Henry Dreyfuss for my interest in the NYC, when I first saw his streamlined Hudson for the 1938 20th Century consist, I was in love. To think that something like it actually ran in Michigan was even neater. I am now of the opinion that this was probably the Chicago Mercury I saw a photo of. I don't recall the engine number, but suspect it wasn't visible in the photo because of the angle and quality. This was a restaurant menu, after all. Thanks again for the help. Regards, Dave
David, well please ask some more questions before we old folks lose what memory we have left! Just kidding. Hank has a great deal of knowledge of the New York Central, as does Roger Hensley. You might want to look at some of the past discussions we have had by selecting the NY Central forum and selecting "the last year" or "all" old forum discussions. :tb-biggrin:
Jim, I just joined tonight and wonder if any of you folks are familiar with West Shore operations in Weehawken. My dad worked there before he became a cop in '29, my Uncle John was the REA agent and my Uncle Ed was just a plain old longshoreman. As a kid, a ride down there while my dad shot the breeze with his brothers gave me a chance to wander close to the steamers that were still in commuter service. It was spooky and cool at the same time. Bernie Halloran
Hi Bernie, welcome to the Trainboard. We're happy to have you aboard. I have lots of photos of the West Shore and Weehawken, but no personal knowledge. We always thought of it as "Out West", ya know..."Across Da Rivah!" :tb-biggrin: Though I do remember seeing the NYC tugs bringing car barges across from Weehawken whenever my father took me to his office on lower Manhattan.
Bernie, welcome to Trainboard. I have no knowledge of West Shore Weehawken operations, as I lived in the Mohawk Valley. There was plenty of action on the West Shore in that neighborhood, but again, I was too young to know train numbers and the details of their operations. We never travelled very far away from home, so Weehawken might as well have been Los Angeles back then. :tb-sad: Aside from that, my dad was an REA employee in Little Falls and on the road for 37 years, and I have a cousin by marriage who was born a Halloran. We do have some things in common besides the New York Central interest. :tb-biggrin:
